Punta San Carlos trip report

[shibumi57]

The right teacher? Wyatt Miller

The right time? Fall in Baja

The right place? Punta San Carlos

It felt strange. Being back in civilization. Concrete roads. Traffic. Noise. It seemed a little overwhelming. After spending a week with no running water, no plumbing, and no cell phones or blackberries, it was like being on a different planet. Returning from Punta San Carlos on the Baja peninsula to the U.S. a jarring landing to your senses after a long trip and short flight.

I had just spent a week in Baja at Solo Sports at a Wyatt Miller wave sailing camp. PSC is the perfect spot for beginning wave sailors like me to get initiated into bottom turns, wave survival and down the line sailing. I’ve been a bump/jump sailor in the Bay area for years. The Delta, Crissy and numerous annual trips to Maui. Hookipa always seemed to be past my ability. I’d really never sailed on a breaking wave like Hookipa and I really didn’t want to be a nuisance in the office of the professionals. Who wants a novice in your office when you’re working on some new move?

PSC is not to be missed. Here are some highlights.

Dragging your sore and tired body out of a two-man tent in the middle of the night to heed the call of your body is almost always met with a spectacular view of the stars. Millions of them. Bright. All bathed in the eerie glow of the Milky Way stretching across the horizon. Falling stars are common. This has to be considered five star camping if there is such a thing.

The rhythm of the sea was always there, reminding me to slow down.

The daily migration of the pelicans from their perch on the island to the feeding grounds. Their return home truly windsurfing the updraft of the breaking waves. The pelicans would glide along each wave face, inches from the water, milking each updraft from the wave for all of its energy. When that wave would begin to break, they would glide up into the air to build speed to drift gracefully into the next wave. The waves a conveyor built to get them home, seemingly without the need to flap their wings.

The seals, curious and tentative were always around. Spying us from the water. Sometimes even a pod of dolphins would swim by surfing the waves just 60 yards away from the shore. Their ease in the water, seemingly a gentle mocking of the humans who needed surfboards and sails to enjoy the waves. “Hey, watch us. This is HOW to really surf a wave”!

The sailing is everything that is promised. Side off shore winds onto waves that build slowly into a swell that teaches beginner wave sailor like me the basics. Sailing in the waves exposes all of your sailing weaknesses. Tacking, jibing, sail control in gusts, etc, etc. All areas for improvement get magnified. I learned more about wave sailing in 2 days than I have in two years. Wyatt is a great instructor and Tyson was a great assistant.

I took the 2 hour flight from San Diego to San Carlos. A small 5 seater plane that lands 30 yards from the camp site. Compared to the 8 hour van ride down the peninsula, it was an easy decision. The pilots were very skilled and the scenery at 5,000 feet was magnificent.

I wore a 3/2 steamer with short sleeves and could have easily used a shorty. I’ve heard that other times of the year it’s much colder water, but in October it was warm.

Helpful hints? Read the suggestions from Kevin Trejo seriously. Take a flashlight. You’ll need it in your tent after sunset. Trying to find something in a strange tent when it’s pitch black would not be fun. Take ear plugs. The tents are only steps away from the bar. Don’t overpack! One pair of pants and a pullover jacket. Three t-shirts and changes of underwear and a few shorts.

If you want to be considered a kook, instead of bringing a pair of Uggs to warm your feet at night, simply bring a pair of combat army boots.

The entire marketing effort is very understated and underwhelms you. When you arrive you’ll get the tour to explain daily showers, meals and using the equipment. You get one 2.5 gallon hot shower per day. Don't waste it on a morning wakeup shower. You'll want that water at night to rid yourself of the salt water drying on your wrinkly and pruned skin.

The cooking is very, very good. You will gain weight. I didn’t believe it possible after a daily jog up and down the airplane runway, a daily yoga session and 2-3 hours wave sailing, but the pounds did show up.

Watching the talented sailors here is like being at Hookipa. Tyson Poor’s graceful back loops, and Wyatt’s free style are truly motivating.
Wyatt Miller. Tyson Poor. Add in very nice people from all over the world, Spain, Canada, France and you have a great group of people to spend a week with. Punta San Carlos is an experience not to be missed.

I typically do three 10 day trips to Maui per year because the convenience from SFO. Now I’ll just do 2 trips to Maui and 2 trips to PSC.

[chibichibi]

great report and you didn't miss a beat. looking forward to my first PSC and Ventana trip.

[Epenrose]

Great you enjoyed it, be it gringo style.

The drive down is one of the funnest parts to many of us. You really get to experience the country, good and bad, beautiful and sad.

Finding those hidden spots on the way down and always drooling for Mama Espinosa's lobster burritos never changes.

Drinking lousy margaritas in Santa Thomas and the lovely head in the morning, the check points, all make an amazing experience.

Try a drive down solo, always a trip.

[boggsman1]

Thanks for making my day at the office even more insufferable.
Boggsman

[shibumi57]

[boggsman1]

Thanks for making my day at the office even more insufferable.
Boggsman

[shibumi57]

[boggsman1]

When you are the tent at night and people are partying at the bar, is it impossible to sleep , or can you get a tent far enough away?
Boggsman

[Epenrose]

Comments appreciated.

Only thing is if you work for yourself you can't take any time off, so I am totally friggin jealous, period!

I am with Boggsman.

Next time just do us a favor and tell us it sucked no waves, you got bitten and speared, strip searched by Mexican customs, make us all feel better!

PSC is truly a mecca to me, just love the damn place. I always brought my surf boards and always something to do.

If you want a great story ask Joe Dill at the Davenport Store about his first PSC experience in the 70's, great story.

[shibumi57]